CUTTACK: Chief Justice of Orissa High Court Mohammad Rafiq on Saturday called upon senior lawyers to alleviate the financial situation of young advocates who are going through a difficult phase due to Covid-19 pandemic.Justice Rafiq expected the senior lawyers with sufficient means to extend support to young advocates, at least those having practice of less than five years, in a cluster of two to three advocates during the pandemic, so that they can survive this crisis. He also requested the State Bar Council and the Bar associations of different places to take an initiative of assigning such cluster of advocates to the chosen senior lawyers.
Justice Rafiq, who had joined Orissa High Court as Chief Justice on April 27, 2020, was delivering his farewell address on his last working day. He expressed satisfaction that a coordinated usage of information and communication technology by the Court and advocates during his tenure made the process of conducting Court hearing on virtual mode a path breaking success. Despite widespread restrictions in place, the Orissa High Court was able to dispose of 43,252 cases on virtual mode ever since the beginning of the lockdown, he said.
Justice Rafiq expressed hope that his successor will take the ultimate call to resume physical hearing stating on the bass of facilities put in place during his tenure on the basis of inputs received from Judges of the High Court and the representatives of the Bar. He is scheduled to take oath as Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Sunday. Justice S Muralidhar, Judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, will be sworn in as the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court on Monday.